Heating-furnace.



- Patented Feb. I13 I900. A. LAUGHLIN.

HEATING FURNACE.

(Application filed May 22, 1899.)

2 Sheets-Sheet 2' (No Model.)

- liiltah Att'y.

NHED- TENT OFFICE.

HEATING-FURNACE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 643,143, dated February 13, 1900.

Application filed May 22,1899- A with that class or kind of continuous heatingfurnace from which the billet is automatically discharged.

The invention is hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, Figure l is a sectional elevation of a portion of a furnace adjacent to the billet-discharge opening having'my improvements applied thereto. Fig. 2 is a sectional plan view of the same. Figs. 3 and a are views similar, respectively, to Figs. 1 and 2, illustrating a modification of my improvement.

In the practice of my invention the furnace is constructed, as regards the hearth, the means for shifting the billets along the furnace, and supporting them during such move ment, substantially as described and shown in Letters Patent No. 599,182, granted February 15, 1898, to myself and Josef Reuleaux. As set forth in said patent, the billets are shifted along the supporting-rails 3 into an opening formed across the bottom of the furnace at or near its point of highest heat. A conveyer 8 is located belowthe bottom of the furnace in line with the discharge-opening, so that billets passing through such opening will drop onto the conveyer and be moved thereby to a reducing-mill. In order to prevent the entrance of cold air into the furnace through the discharge-opening,s'wingingdoors have been arranged in such position as to close the opening. These doors are provided with counterweights adapted to hold the doors in closed position, but permit their swinging when a billet drops thereon for the passage of the billet onto the conveyer. It has been found that the billets seldom drop on the doors so as to force both of them down equally.

Serial No. 717,723. (No model.)

As a result of this unequal movement of the doors the billetis deflected by the door having the greater movement to such an extent that it drops on one end of the conveyor-rolls as to be approximately tangential to the arc described by the free edge of the door. It is preferred to make the face of the plate slightly convex, so that the billet will be defiected toward the median line of the conveyer. The door may be formed with trunnions ll projecting from its ends in line with its rear edge, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, said trunnions being mounted in bearings formed on or attached to the side plates of the furnace. Weights 12 are adj ustably mounted on the arms 13, which are so attached to the trunnions that the weights will hold the door yieldingly in closed position. It is preferred to construct the door so that water or other cooling fluid may circulate therethrough, the passage or passages in the door being con nected with axial passages in the trunnions, through which the cooling fluid is introduced by suitable inlet and outlet pipes.

As shown in Figs. 3 and 4, the door .and bottom plate may be formed with intercalating. knuckles, through which suitable pins are passed, and, if desired, the counter. balancing-weights may be connected to the front or free edge of the door by chains 14, passing over guide-pulleys 15. The passages in the door may be connected to a suitable source of supply by a section of hose or other suitable flexible connection.

It is preferred to form a rib or projection 16 on the bottom plate of the furnace around the discharge-opening, said ribs being provided with passages for the circulation of a cooling medium. The ends of the pipes forming the billet-supporting rails 3 have their Veyer arranged to receive the billets and a stationary guide-plate arranged parallel to the conveyer and adapted to direct the billets into the conveyer as they pass through said 15 opening, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof .I have hereunto set my hand.

ALEX LAUGHLIN.

WVitnesses:

DARWIN S. WoLooTT, G. I. HOLDSHIP. 

